Litterbox

October 11, 2005

The clink, the big house, the joint, whatever you want to call it-this Litterbox is dedicated to our brothers on lockdown. To all the free citizens who read this, be wise and learn from the mistakes of others, because the homeys behind bars will tell you, jail ain’t no fun. Do your time, then do your grinds. Letter of the month gets a new deck courtesy of Plan B Skateboards.

Send correspondence to:

TransWorld SKATEboarding

Attn.: Litterbox

353 Airport Road

Oceanside, California 92054

LETTER OF THE MONTH I got out of prison after three years in October 2004. I’ve skated every day since then. There’re a lot of things that you miss while you’re locked away from society, but skating was one of the biggest ones. I don’t think that people really know what it’s like to be free until they’ve skated until their knees cramp and their calves and thighs pulsate like a techno beat. Now this is Chicago that I’m in, and as you know, it gets damn cold and snowy, but me and my three buddies have skated every day. It was either at the local skatepark or just a set with a roof over it. Skateboarding is what will keep me out of trouble, and I thank your magazine for helping me through the time I did. Peace, TWS people.-Tommy Shreiber, Chicago, Illinois

Welcome back to the free world, buddy. I bet you’ll never take a day of skateboarding for granted again. Enjoy your new deck.

LA VIDA LOCKED UP I’m sitting in jail-yeah, jail-and let me tell you, it’s the best experience of my life. Two-hundred dudes, all the free food I can eat, and the most comfy bed I have ever slept on. Not to mention the sick jumpsuits I wear. I couldn’t choose a better life. One of the solid things I have is my TransWorlds. I just got my first one of the subscription-or shall I say prescription?-and it was good to see pics of Adrian Lopez and Peter Smolik. I figured I could squeeze a letter into my busy schedule.

Hey, jail’s not all it’s cracked up to be. To tell you the truth, it actually kind of sucks, although there are some sick stairs at the top of each “range” with a hella low handrail. The food, however, is some of the worst shit I’ve ever had. Today is funky-fish Friday-lovely. Yeah, jail is a gem. I think that everyone should be given the opportunity to indulge in at least one jail opportunity. I have been learning the guitar and writing my solo album in here. Wait until you hear “Shackles” and “Living La Vida Locked Up.” Just decided to say hello, and by the way, send me as many back issues as you have lying around. Don’t make me regret wasting 37 cents on you for the stamp. That’s like 100 dollars in here. Well, gotta go, Malcolm In The Middle is on and then it’s Friends. Rachel is a goddess.-Curtis David, Metropolitan Correctional Center, San Diego, California

I’ll send you some back issues. Hell, I’ll send you a whole setup and a video camera. Get some footage on those rails wearing your jumpsuit.Send me the footage, and I’ll put it in my video I’m working on, Shackle Me Hot! See, that was worth your 37 cents, wasn’t it?

INCARCERSKATED What’s the deal, TransWorld? I’m eighteen years old and have been skating for going on five years. I love it more than anything in the world. But I’m locked up in county jail at the moment and on my way to prison. Yeah, it sucks pretty bad. I’ve noticed lately two letters in the Litterbox from a couple of fellow skaters also incarcerated, unfortunately. That shit blows my mind! I’ve never heard of any skater (besides myself) going to jail for anything more than possession of marijuana or someone calling the cops for skating outside their business. What the f-k is going on? This makes skateboarding look pretty bad. And more importantly, we are setting a bad example for the young skaters. The mistake I made was getting into hard drugs. I drifted away from the laid-back and chill skate crowd and ended up getting addicted to cocaine. Simply skating and not worrying about anything re would have ultimately kept me out of here. So skate as much as you can, and focus on progression and having fun. Every skater knows that rolling away from a trick that took some major effort is the best feeling in the world. So f-k everything else and go skate!-Casey Cooper, Tyler, Texas

See, kids? What did I say? Learn from the mistakes of others. Some of the best pros have even succumbed to drugs and partying, but when it all comes full circle, nothing is more fun than just riding your skateboard.

ME AND MY SKATE What’s the deal? Last night I talked to my younger brother, who’s eleven years old. He was telling me how he fell off his scooter. I said, “What the f-k were you doing on a scooter, anyway, kid?” Now, I’ll give you some background. I’ve been in prison for the last two years and am getting out in three months. I’ve been skating since I was five years old back in 1988. I’m 21 now, and this kid was, like, not even a year old the first time I pushed him around on a board, and now ten years later, he tells me he can’t skate? You know what I’m saying? I live to skate, always have, always will, and I’ve always tried to share that with this kid, and I’m going to continue to. So if you guys there read this shit, send him a subscription. When I get out of this bitch I’m going to tear shit up and show him what’s really going on. You got a badass mag-I just started reading again and will continue to. I want to give a shout out to everyone who skates and is locked down.-Anthony Williams, Essex County Correctional Facility, Middleton, Massachusetts

Yeah, riding a scooter is pretty beat, so it’s on you-get him on a skate and keep him out of trouble. We’re counting on you.

THE WRITING’S ON THE WALL Well, let me first start off by saying what’s up and also that this magazine kicks ass. My name is Joey Meranza, and I’m from Tucson, Arizona. But right now I’m doing a seven-and-a-half-year stretch in prison here in Buckeye, Arizona. I just got my first issue of TWS, and me and the homeboys here in the big house dig all the crazy shit that goes on in TWS. Let me tell you, holmes, my issue of TWS gets posted all over the cell block. All the homeys ask me when it’s going to be their turn to check out the mag. Well, TWS, give me that free deck-I can tear shit up on a board. Keep TWS magazines coming in here for me and the homeboys here in Buckeye, Arizona. This is a very good magazine. Later, dawg. May God bless everyone out there.-Joey Meranza, Arizona State Prison, Buckeye, Arizona

Damn, seven-and-a-half years? I wonder what skateboarding will look like when you get out? Will guys still wear girls’ jeans? Will XXXL T-shirts and New Era hats finally be sold together in discount combo packages? Will every skate-shoe company still be copying Rod Lavers and Jordans? I can hardly wait!

NO TOLERANCE My name is Mike Dunn. I was just thinking, “Why are cops the way they are?” They keep trying to screw me over. I mean, check this out, I live in the middle of nowhere, a town called Bennett, Colorado. And there’s no sidewalks, right? (Not that I skate on the sidewalks, anyway), but anyway, I’m riding my skateboard down the street, and this cop pulls me over and says, “You can’t ride that in the street,” and I say, “Where am I supposed to ride it?” And because he sees that I have a point, he decides to write me a 50-dollar ticket. Well, in the end, they got me-I’m a skater locked up for two years.-Mike Dunn, Watkins, Colorado

Two years? Come on. What part of the story aren’t you telling us, Mike? After the 50-dollar ticket did you bitch-slap him? Take a dump on the hood of his cruiser? Is the cop really your ex-girlfriend’s dad who found out you took his daughter to Burger King on Prom night?

ENDLESS BUMMER Hey TWS, I’ve been skating for about twelve years (I’m now 22 years old), but have been in prison for the last two. I get your magazine, and everyone reads it. It’s amazing. The only thing I miss about being on the streets is skateboarding. Your Nine Frames pics help the time go by. So I wanted to say thanks, TransWorld, keep pumping out the pics.-Adam Hetzler, Corcoran State Prison, Corcoran, California

Yep, in one second in the skateboard world, history can be made and recorded on film (or digi). What can you do in one second in prison, Adam? I got a suggestion for ya-dig. All you need is a spoon and a tremendous amount of time. Maybe someday you can write your own article called “Nine Feet Per Year: How I Escaped From Prison.” Come on, homey, the free world is calling!

about being on the streets is skateboarding. Your Nine Frames pics help the time go by. So I wanted to say thanks, TransWorld, keep pumping out the pics.-Adam Hetzler, Corcoran State Prison, Corcoran, California

Yep, in one second in the skateboard world, history can be made and recorded on film (or digi). What can you do in one second in prison, Adam? I got a suggestion for ya-dig. All you need is a spoon and a tremendous amount of time. Maybe someday you can write your own article called “Nine Feet Per Year: How I Escaped From Prison.” Come on, homey, the free world is calling!